Chapter 11: The Secret of Avar
My room was decorated according to Bilun's taste. Among others, the blue tulle dress that appealed to me more caught my eye, so I slipped it on. After putting on boots of the same color, I looked in the mirror. Watching my auburn hair, I often thought it must be the most precious gift God gave me. I wished my eyes blazed with fire too, but red eyes were bestowed upon my little sister, Felin. Suddenly thinking of her made me frown. Her absence in Elysian was convenient for me, yet I wondered how she disappeared or what had happened to her. I was as sure that the Holy Spirits knew about it as I was sure they'd keep it a secret. Taking a deep breath and shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I left the room.
It felt like I was in an underground city. Each hollow in the huge cave was a room, and the cave opened up to stone stairs. The best part was that the cave was open to the sky above. I was in a cave that was also an ocean sky.
Walking down the stone stairs, I looked up at the ocean waving above me. The mix of the ocean's scent and the dim, blue light created by the ocean made for a magical atmosphere.
Finding the room where I spoke with Bilun yesterday would be hard by walking. I teleported. The owl that flew towards me when I suddenly appeared was taken aback, its flapping intensified. I was about to make way for it when Bilun extended his hand in front of my face, creating a perch for the owl. That moment, his ankh ring caught my eye.
*Ankh: The cross of life. It symbolizes the meaning of life and spiritual wisdom. In Egypt, it's called the key of the Nile.
"The owl..." I murmured. "It's been a symbol of knowledge since existence. But, it's often seen as a bad omen in most cultures."
"Ankh..." I echoed him. "It's believed to bridge the worldly realm and the celestial realm. Known as the key that opens the entire universe in Elysian."
He smiled wisely. "Did you just realize I'm not as powerless as I seem?" his voice carried a hint of scorn.
I raised my eyebrows and said seriously, "How long have you had the ankh?"
"Does it matter?"
"To me, yes."
"To me, no," he said, then let the owl fly away and walked towards the table where we had tea yesterday. Pointing to the breakfast table, he said with a smile, "Won't you join me?"
I clenched my fist and took a deep breath to calm the storm inside me. Nodding vaguely, I accepted his invitation and approached the table. We sat down together. "Who knows you have the ankh?"
"Everyone..."
"Don't lie, if everyone knew, I would've heard!" I protested.
"I wear this ring all the time, my dear. You are so sure of my weakness that you don't see what's right in front of you. I haven't hidden my power from anyone." I rolled my eyes. Sure, he hid what he did with that power from everyone.
Ah, how could I have been so careless! How did I not notice this ring?
As we started eating, he asked, "I'll be leaving soon, how much longer will you stay?"
"Depends on you." I implied I'd stay until I got his approval.
He laughed mockingly. "So you're leaving the throne empty while you have two other contenders outside?" The two rivals, Eva and Hesna.
"Why would you care?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
As he stood up, a wise smile played on his lips. "Paraiso kolasi," he said, then vanished.
I put down my fork and leaned back, anxiously tapping my foot. My priority, getting Bilun's approval, was shifting towards Hesna. I scowled. Due to our cursed loyalty bond, she must be aware of my tense state.
I stood up. Better to speak openly with Hesna than waste time here. When I muttered the magical words to teleport, I thought I'd open my eyes in Hesna's mine, but I was in Avar instead.
The scent of the forest mixed with the earth, the dry leaves on the ground looked enviously at the leaves on the trees. Despite it being autumn, the underbrush was vibrant and colorful.
"My heir?"
Turning towards the familiar voice, I murmured, "Darya, servant of the Great Forest Avar."
She kneeled, her dress made of dry yellow and brown leaves rustling. I accepted her greeting with a smile.
"How can I help you?" she asked in a flat tone. Watching her tuck her earth-colored hair behind her ear, I noticed her beauty accentuated by her slanted eyes, thin eyebrows, and short eyelashes.
"Has anyone been here before me?" I asked genuinely.
Frowning for a few seconds, she then asked, "Could you be talking about Hesna?"
My lips curved up in satisfaction. "Yes, her. Can you take me to her?"
"Sorry." Her unexpected reply made my smile freeze.
Was I misunderstanding, or did she just refuse my order?
Lifting my eyebrows arrogantly, I asked, "I don't understand?"
Smiling gently as she swayed slightly, she said, "The Great Forest Avar wants me to inform you that it will protect Hesna's secret."
I laughed sarcastically. "How dare the Great Forest refuse the heir's request?"
My haughty voice had barely echoed in the forest when a fierce wind pushed me back three steps and suddenly stopped. "You've angered Avar, my heir, it's best if you leave," Darya said.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. "Sooner or later, I will find out what you're hiding," I whispered, addressing Avar.
The wind blew again, lifting only the dirt around me. I scrunched my face as dust flew into my eyes. The wind, growing stronger by the second, lifted my hair. A cyclone of dirt surrounded me. Like before, the wind suddenly stopped, and the dirt that had been circling fell to the tips of my feet.
"My heir..." Darya stressed. "Leave."
With a frustrated scream, I stomped my foot and took a deep breath.
"If you don't leave, the forest itself will expel you," Darya warned.
Huffing in anger, I nodded and teleported next to Çağın. But once again, I didn't find what I was expecting.
I was in a ballroom set above the clouds. The walls and ceiling were made of glass, with the surrounding clouds reflecting on the golden embellishments on the floor, casting everything in a yellow hue. A whimsical phonograph played the music of happiness, and Eva and Çağın were dancing to this music.
They moved in a harmonious rhythm, unaware of my presence. Only two knew of me there, the climate fairy Amila and the spirit of the four elements, Ova, looking at me from beside the phonograph.
Tapping the thin heel of my boot on the golden embellishments, I disrupted the flow of music. Amila, wearing a dress containing all the colors of the rainbow
, stopped the music. After tucking her white hair behind her ear, she bowed in greeting.
Her greeting was followed by Ova's reverence. The earth talisman around her neck, the air chain on her wrist, the water key on her ankle, and the fire in her red eyes emphasized her immense power.
After acknowledging their greetings with a nod, I turned to Çağın approaching me. "What are you doing here?" he asked. I smiled, hiding my irritation.
"I needed to talk to you, but what are you doing here?"
Before Çağın could reply, Eva stepped forward. "He can't tell you, it's between us!"
I glanced between them, eyebrows furrowed. Çağın frowned and shook his head. "No... We were preparing for the Day of Existence."
Ah, the Day of Existence! How could I forget...
I'm not sure how my face looked, but Çağın, mistaking Eva's provocation for angering me, said, "Stop it! She'll think something's wrong."
In reality, I was angry at my own negligence; how could I forget to prepare for the Day of Existence!
Eva, raising her hands carelessly, said, "I'm not doing anything." She was employing a cheap tactic, trying to imply something to upset me, which was disgusting and hurtful.
"Why wasn't I informed of this preparation?" I asked calmly, avoiding her trap.
Çağın, running his fingers through his hair and smiling slightly, said, "I thought it'd be better if I handled the preparations while you were busy getting approvals."
"Thanks..." I replied, devoid of emotion. "But, I was already preparing." I lied, not giving them a chance to respond. "But this place seems too small for all of Elysian."
"We thought this would be for the nobles," Ova chimed in softly.
My lips dropped open in surprise. "So now we're classifying people even at the existence ceremony."
Shaking my head in disapproval, I looked at Çağın. "I didn't think you supported this?"
He shook his head quickly. "It's been celebrated here every year since you left. That's why..."
"If I'm here now, we can make changes," I interrupted him. "This year, all of Elysian will celebrate our Day of Existence in the palace, in the same area. You can stop the preparations here."
Everyone but Eva was visibly shocked by my assertive statement. I didn't mean to come off so strong, but Karia's constant provocation made it hard to control my anger.
"Relax, little sister, the Day of Existence is a day of unity. Why this anger during preparations?" I bit the inside of my cheek, not replying. Despite his mocking tone, the pulse of ambition was evident in his eyes. Every laugh he threw seemed to emphasize it more.
What stopped me from responding was Çağın touching my arm, asking, "Can we talk outside?"
Nodding in agreement, we stepped through the glass door and onto a passing cloud. The cloud glided away with the wind, taking us away from the ballroom.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked with concern.
"What's wrong with you!" I exploded in anger.
"Look..." he started, trying to explain patiently. "Ova and Amila came to check on the weather for the celebration day. I was just looking at how the hall was set up. Eva just teleported in like you..."
I cut him off, yelling, "And then you said, since we're both here, let's dance!"
"Actually, we said the music was good, so why not dance."
I looked at him in astonishment, and he shrugged nonchalantly. "Just because I'm in touch with all your siblings doesn't change the fact that I'll always be by your side."
Laughing mockingly, I nodded. "Right, you were assigned to never leave my side and take care of me."
"You know I'm with you by choice." His voice remained calm, contrasting my internal turmoil, turning my words into shrill, jumbled letters.
Closing my eyes, I lifted my head, hoping the passing clouds and the warm wind would calm me down. It was ridiculous to take out my frustration with Hesna's situation on Çağın. But I was scared and anxious. I wasn't even sure I was heading in the right direction. Maybe Eva's real goal was to unsettle me. If so, she had succeeded. I breathed deeply.
Çağın touched my eyelids for a couple of seconds before pulling away. When I opened my eyes, he was smiling at me. "Are you this aggressive because Bilun didn't approve of you?" he asked gently.
I nodded, lying again...
No matter how much I trusted him, the doubt Eva planted inside me prevented me from telling him, "I found out Hesna made a deal with the Holy Spirits, but I don't know the details. By the way, I have a deal with the Holy Spirits too."
His smile widened. "So, my little dove is upset because she faced failure..."
"Little dove?" I laughed. "I'm several centuries older than you, Çağın."
"Don't cry, my little dove..." he continued playfully. "Life is about winning and losing. You'll learn this through experience."
I swallowed. If the topic was the throne, there was no losing in my life. To hide the raging ambition inside me, I averted my gaze, laughing.
"Çağın, I actually haven't started the preparations. I'm not even aware that the Day of Existence is approaching," I confessed, changing the subject. One less lie.
He pursed his lips, nodding. "I suspected as much." "Do you want it to be in the palace?"
I nodded affirmatively, and he replied, "Okay, I'll handle the preparations. You deal with Bilun."
Gratefully, I said, "Thank you," then touched the cloud beneath our feet and whispered magical words. As the cloud descended Çağın to the ground, I said, "Paraiso kolasi," teleporting next to Bilun.
Bilun flinched when I appeared in front of him. Slowly shaking his head, he smiled wisely. "I wonder how long you'll be my guest."
"Depends on you," I shrugged.
When he placed his red leather book on the table, his owl landed on it. As he ran his fingertips through the owl's glossy brown feathers, he asked, "So, you really think you can get my approval?"
I shrugged again. "I've always been hopeful."
He widened his smile. "Good... Don't lose hope, but don't get lost in it either," he said, then vanished with a murmur.
I looked at the space he left behind, curving my lips. He always did this, delivering noble blows with his words and leaving.
I crouched down, wrapping my arms around my knees. I wanted to cry out the turmoil inside me, but not a single tear would fall.
I hit my temples, trying to kill Eva's riddle in my mind.
I punched my chest, trying to accustom my heart to the betrayal of love.
Above my head, where
my crown should be, I drew a circle with my finger, indicating my desire no matter what anyone says.
I lifted my head. "Be thankful for both your victories and your defeats," I prayed.
***
The sound of my heels hitting the floor made me feel powerful. It was as if the music of my steps promised I would never stop walking and always be on the right path.
Arel, as I had instructed, had cleared the room of all scholars; the dome-ceilinged room was emptied for me. When he noticed my entrance, he bowed in greeting.
"Did you find the books I wanted?"
"Yes, my heir," he indicated the encyclopedias on the table. The pages of topics I wanted to research were opened, with important parts highlighted for me to read.
I looked at the picture of the life cross. It seemed to be just a circle placed on top of a T, but what we could do with it... I held my breath and flipped through the pages randomly. I knew about the ankh. It was absolute power, a sacred key that connected two realms, and it should only belong to rulers. It was used to hear the gods, learn the future, and take cautious steps.
"How did people learn about the ankh?" I asked without lifting my gaze from the pages.
I heard Arel clear his throat before answering. "People's greatest curiosity is about their tomorrows." He began in a wise tone. "And the only thing they work for is their tomorrows. Truly, my heir, people are made of their tomorrows."
I stopped flipping the pages, curious about where he was leading, and listened. "One of the oldest Elysian rulers wasn't satisfied with his authority being limited here. He used the ankh to go to the World and influenced humans with it. Claiming to be a sage who could see the future, he sanctified himself. He told humans about their tomorrows, and they obeyed him. If you allow me…" he paused, approached me, and gently bent all my fingers except the index, raising my hand to draw an ankh in the air. The ankh appeared as a faint light behind him. He placed it between his eyes, like a third eye. "Do you know what it means when the ankh is here, my heir?"
I nodded, whispering, "To keep a secret."
"The moment a second person learns, the ankh ceases to be a secret. The traitorous ruler knew the Holy Spirits would inevitably stop him. So, he left the ankh in the World with the Egyptian God. That's why some call it the Key of the Nile. Over centuries, this story became a legend. While many think it's a fabricated tale, a small group believes to this day that psychics, descendants of those taught by the ruler, exist. Some dedicated their lives to finding them, even claiming success. Some called these supposed psychics witches, prophets, sages, God's curse... Some even thought they were lab experiments. Thus, the discipline of parapsychology, which investigates paranormal events through experimental methods, developed."
"Are there really psychics in the World?" I asked, my voice filled with wonder. I had buried memories of fortune-tellers and rituals I saw while living in the World. Even people around me didn't believe in them. While Elysian rulers couldn't be considered psychics, could there actually be psychics in the World?
"When the traitorous ruler went to the World, he couldn't use most of his powers from Elysian, but he was still a ruler, and his blood was sacred. We know he mated in the World and passed his blood down through generations. The Holy Spirits brought psychics to Elysian, suppressed their abilities with magic, and then restricted their travel to and from the World. Your mother's and Çağın's lineage was actually fulfilling a different duty, but since that day, their roles changed. By the decree of the Holy Spirits, they became the only family with the direct ability to travel to the World."
Knowing my mother misused this ability irked me. The blood of a traitor, mixed with my father's sacred blood, ran through my veins, and I despised it. I frowned, trying to shake off the thought. My questions hadn't been fully answered yet. "But the ankh? It's the key to both realms, making travel to the World possible."
As if expecting my question, he smiled and nodded affirmatively. "Possible..." he said meaningfully. "But not as easy as before. Using the ankh to travel from the World to Elysian demands a sacrifice. The same applies for the reverse journey."
My lips parted as I realized I had stopped breathing. The ankh, also known as the life cross, had become a weapon, and that weapon was in Bilun's hands. "This..." I struggled to speak before swallowing. "The cost of this..."
Seeing my struggle, Arel didn't watch me flounder. "Yes, my heir. There's indeed a cost, and you are the last person who should be afraid. Remember, ensuring the safety of the royal family is our top priority."
For someone expecting an attack from the person they trusted most, this statement was far from reassuring...
